This invention relates to the care of the elderly and infirm. In particular, this invention relates to the providing of packaging for nutritional drink products, and to such packaging which helps the elderly or infirm patient to be able to open the packaging and to drink therefrom.
In the institutional food supply industry, nutritional drinks have commonly been packaged in the standard gabled drink carton, which has been been in use for many years. This standard cation is opened for usage by separating one gabled end and folding it out into a pour spout. The pour spout opening is then used to either drink directly from the cation, use a straw for drinking, or pour the liquid into a glass or cup for drinking. Each of these options includes the step of first opening the one gabled end, that is configured for being so opened, into a spout. This ordinarily simple step, though, can be sometimes difficult for an elderly person or infirm patient to accomplish.
In order to be opened, the standard gabled drink carton must be stably held while the spout gable is evenly pulled apart and then opened into the spout. The elderly, who are commonly inflicted with arthritis, often have trouble opening the carton in this manner, though, because they can't hold the carton stably or aren't able to pull the gable apart with even force. The infirm and bedstricken have the same problems in trying to open these cartons on their own. When these cartons are not properly opened as intended, with stability and even force being applied, accidental spillage is often the result.
In order to avoid spilling of the contents, or as a courtesy, an attendant will sometimes open the cation for the patient. This solution, though, has the negative side effect of potentially adding to the loss of self esteem from the frustration over the inability to perform even this simple task for oneself. Separate straw hole pods have also been provided on some cartons on the slanted side of the cation. While providing an alternative option for opening the cation for drinking from a straw, the use of straw hole pods in this location have proven not to be sanitary because of their exposure during handling, and their use has, therefore, generally been abandoned.
Wherefore, there is a need for an improved drink cation for the elderly and the infirm which is easy for the patients to open and use by themselves, with lessened risk of accidental spillage and protection against unsanitary use.